I can understand it. Our first year we were overwhelmed at the end of the CSA season. But, we hung in there and learned from it, and drastically changed how we approached the weekly deluge of veggies.
I say this because at our first pick up last Thursday for our fall CSA, we heard that about 5 of our summer CSA members never picked up their last week of veggies, or fruit, or meat, or eggs. The food bank did well, as did our site host’s friends, who benefited from things the food bank doesn’t want. Like all that chicken and meat.
We are down to 30 members, from close to 50 in the summer. Enough to keep us going. Those fortunate enough to join us got new and exciting things, like these.
Watermelon radishes. I roasted mine.
Salanova lettuce. A red multileaf variety. So sweet. So flavorful. Devoured in a lunch mix with some poached chicken breast on top.
Baby Hakurei turnips. Thanks to Elizabeth at Three Beans on a String these will be honey glazed with Larriland apples and served for dinner in a few days.
The whole haul.
Napa cabbage. Will be a slaw soon, with apples. The beets. Already roasted and eaten. The potatoes. Made their way into a potato leek soup today, thanks to Friends and Farms having extra leeks for me to pick up this morning. Sweet peppers. Sliced in salad. Put into a frittata for tonight’s dinner. A couple of them are left.
As for that glorious cheese share.
Biweekly in the fall. That stinky funky six year aged cheddar. The “Lanchego”, which is simply awesome. A Colby. New to us, from this supplier. Creamy and delicate.
I can honestly say I am not CSA’d out. I am really enjoying the variety, and of course, the freshness. You don’t have to rush and eat it all in one week. With food this fresh, in two weeks, I swear it is still better than grocery store produce.
Tomorrow is my husband’s 64th birthday. Stand by to see what I put together to celebrate. Will I still need him? Will I still feed him?
AnnieRie Unplugged 
I didn’t know that the drop-out rate is so high. We eat more vegetables than we otherwise would to keep up with the CSA, but I’m glad of that. Someone I met at our CSA pick-up told me that she and her husband bought a freezer to keep up with the produce.
Today I’ll be doing the last pick-up for our summer CSA. I’m probably going to try http://www.hometownharvest.com/home.php for the winter:. I saw its van delivering to one of my new neighbors and found out that they are happy with it.
Will you be playing Beatles music for your husband’s birthday dinner? I always appreciate your ideas for preparing the CSA food.
Happy Birthday to your husband!
Our drop out rate is partially due to people not wanting fall veggies. Potatoes and squash are two mentions. Not that we get that much of them. For example, this week we are predicted not to get either of those items.
As for hometown harvest, they don’t deliver to my area. I looked at them, if we don’t get a winter CSA, but they are more expensive than Friends and Farms. Yes, you are paying for delivery, even though they say you don’t have a “charge” for delivery.
We are crossing our fingers, we get enough sign ups for the 13 week winter CSA from LFFC. If not, I will just increase the size of my Friends and Farms basket.
Just got an e-mail about the sign up for the LFF winter CSA. Any chance that we’ll get enough people to get LFF to drop off in Columbia? Do we still need 30? BTW – thanks for the mention of the baby hakurei turnips recipe.
Talked to our host a while ago. She just told them she would host. I hope they get the info up quickly.